Chapter 1
Felix
Hands braced on my knees, I caught my breath at the top of the waterfall, staring down at the thundering water as it cascaded over the rocks below. I should have left that waitress last night a tip, because this place was even better than she had made it out to be.
I had decided to take the hike up to the waterfalls the next morning, instead of going after the dinner I’d had at the Jukebox Diner the night before.
I didn’t want to end up in the woods at night, getting lost and wandering around till some hapless tour group stumbled on me the next day.
I might have been on the road for a while now, but that didn’t mean I was going to ignore my better instincts.
And besides, by the light of day, this place was even more striking.
The woman I had spoken to yesterday, whatever her name was, she was right: with the trees and flowers out, it looked gorgeous.
The hike up here hadn’t been too tough, even if the trail had been a little uneven beneath my feet.
Hell, in the years that I had been travelling, I had navigated some way, way worse places than this.
And Whisper Falls probably ranked up there with the most beautiful I had ever visited.
I was staying at the Linden Hotel near the square, the Whisper Falls Cabins that were nestled in the woods nearby already booked up by the time I hopped on a train down here.
The view over the town square had been my favorite thing to enjoy with a coffee from Bean There Coffee Shop in the morning, watching the townsfolk bustling around to their jobs, from opening the Plot Twist book shop to taking care of business in the mayor’s office.
Once I had caught my breath, I pulled out my flask and took a sip of water, wishing instead that I could stick my head beneath the flow in front of me and drink straight from the source.
But, as I hitched my bag back over my shoulder, I knew that I should probably be heading back down the other side of the trail by now, the one that came out not far from the Jukebox Diner.
Not that I had any intention of going back there, and even if I did, it had nothing to do with the cute waitress who had been there the night before.
I re-tied my shoelaces, zipped up my jacket, and started down the path that led down to the road beyond, following the flow of the waterfall as it fed into the river and to a large pool below.
I could see why this place was so popular; when I had been doing some research before I had come out, I had seen dozens of people raving about how beautiful the waterfall was, but it was more than just that.
It was the sense of stillness that settled over the scenery and the town, even despite the tourists passing through.
Like the whole place was letting out a long breath, and you could finally do the same…
"Oh, hello!”
A voice caught my attention as I made my way down the path and I flicked my gaze forward to find that I was not the only one on the trail that morning.
No, the woman standing in front of me was the same as the one who had served me last night, the one who had suggested that I come up here in the first place.
I spread my hands wide, as though to acknowledge that I had done just that.
"Took your advice," I told her. "And you’re right, this place is beautiful."
She smiled slightly, her tawny brown hair dancing around her delicate features as a slight breeze passed through the branches.
"But I thought you said you didn’t come up here," I remarked, and she shook her head.
"No, I said I didn’t come up here after work," she replied, with a slight smile. "Sometimes I come before, though."
"All that time on your feet and you still find the energy to come out here?" I replied, and I let out a whistle through my teeth. "Impressive."
She laughed.
"Well, got to use these calf muscles for something," she joked, tapping her leg. She was wearing a pair of shorts and a baggy tee, a far cry from the cutesy uniform I had seen her in at the Jukebox Diner last night, and I had to admit, there was something kind of fun about seeing her this way.
"Guess so," I agreed. "So, does that mean you’re on shift today?"
"It does," she replied. "Why, you craving our bacon and eggs already?"
"And the excellent company," I added. I noticed her cheeks darken slightly, and she swiftly brushed her hair back from her face, as if distracting herself as best she could.
"And it’s not like there are many other places to eat in Whisper Falls, anyway," I continued, not wanting her to feel like I was making too pointed of an effort to flirt. She was sweet, and those hazel eyes certainly had something I couldn’t quite look away from, but I was going to be staying here for a few weeks and I didn’t want her feeling like she had to avoid me if she wasn’t into me.
"Well, there’s Ford’s," she remarked, and I cocked an eyebrow.
"Oh, yeah?”
"The Italian kitchen," she prompted me, as though she was surprised that I hadn’t heard of it. "It’s right on the square; you haven’t seen it?”
"Uh, not open, at least," I replied. "I’ve been coming out to explore the hills most days, so I guess maybe I haven’t come back into town before it closes yet."
"Oh, that’s the best food you’ll get in Whisper Falls," she told me, and I couldn’t help but laugh.
"Kind of throwing your cook under the bus there, aren’t you?"
"Pam would agree with me," she replied, smiling slightly, whatever awkwardness had briefly been there between us gone just as soon as it had arrived. "Don’t get me wrong, her stuff is delicious, but Mia..."
She shook her head.
"Best game in town, hands down. And they have a good book club, too."
"Oh, a book club?"
I perked up.
"Think you could get me in?"
She ran a hand through her hair, laughing.
"I don’t think it’s the kind of place you need an invitation to," she replied. "But I’ll see what I can do."
"Want to come to dinner with me tonight?”
The words were out of my mouth before I could think twice about them, and she looked startled as soon as I spoke them out loud.
I wasn’t sure exactly what had possessed me to come out with something like that, but there was no way I was going to try and take it back now that it was out there.
She was cute, and besides, we had run into each other on the very trail she had recommended to me.
There had to be something to that, didn’t there?
"I wouldn’t want to keep you waiting all day," she replied, shrugging slightly, as though she wasn’t sure what to make of it. "I have to work till six, and then I was going to clean my house and I have to make dinner…"
"I don’t mind waiting."
She eyed me for a long moment, clearly considering whether this was a good idea or not. I grinned, waiting for her response, not pushing her in any particular direction but keen to know what she would make of this.
I knew it was a big swing, asking her out to dinner like this, especially when I had just resolved to ease off so I didn’t spook her.
But hell, you only lived once, and I was only going to be in this town for a few more weeks.
The good thing about constantly being on the move was that you didn’t have to worry about making a fool of yourself.
In just a few weeks, you would be out on the open road again, and whatever mess you made, you wouldn’t have to think about it again.
"Not a problem if you don’t want to," I added gently. "But you gave me a good tip coming here, and I’d like to thank you for it. Let me take you out to dinner at this Italian place, huh?”
As soon as I put it like that, her ears seemed to perk up slightly, and she shrugged.
"You know, if you don’t mind waiting, that actually sounds pretty fun," she replied, and I could have sworn I saw a brief twinkle in those hazel eyes as she finally agreed to meet with me. "I’ll need to head home and wash up and change first, but maybe we could meet about seven?"
"Sounds good to me," I replied. "Oh, I’m Felix, by the way."
She parted her lips, like it had only just struck her she didn’t know my name.
"Oh, right, of course!” she exclaimed, extending her hand to mine. "I’m Dina."
"Good to meet you, Dina."
I took her hand, and, for a moment, quiet settled between us. Her soft hand sat in mine, delicate fingers brushing against my skin before she pulled them back quickly and cleared her throat.
"I’ll book us a table," I added, rubbing my thumb and forefinger together where I could still feel the warmth of her skin against mine.
"You don’t even know where it is," she reminded me, with another laugh. The sound of it warmed the air around us, like birdsongs drifting from the trees.
"I’m sure I’ll figure it out. The square’s not that big."
"Well, if you’re sure..."
"Certain."
She paused for a moment, just looking at me, her teeth resting on her bottom lip.
"Well, I guess I’ll see you then," she finished up, and she glanced past me up the path. "Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’d like to finish my hike before my shift starts."
"I haven’t made you late, have I?"
"Nope," she replied, and a flicker of playfulness crossed her eyes. "Anyway, even if I am, I’ll just take the zipline back down the side of the waterfalls..."
I held my hand up, stopping her in her tracks.
"Hold on. There’s a zipline?"
"You didn’t notice?” she replied. "Yeah, it was put up by the owner of the Whisper Falls Cabins, Beckett, and it takes you all the way down to the bottom of the waterfalls. Once you’ve signed a liability waiver, at least..."
"I might have to take another look to check that out."
"You strike me as the ziplining type," she agreed.
"What does that mean?”
"I haven’t decided yet," she replied, and I laughed as she brushed past me, up the trail and to the waterfalls beyond.
"Well, have you at least figured out if it’s a good thing or not?”
"I’ll let you know at dinner tonight!”
Her voice came drifting over her shoulder, and I watched as she vanished off between the trees, clearly well-versed in this trail. But, just before she disappeared entirely, I was sure that I caught her smiling back at me.
And it was that thought which carried me the rest of the way down the trail and back to the town. With only some small regrets that I hadn’t had a chance to try that zipline first.